Merrill Lynch Equities (Australia) LTD SWIFT/BIC code

MLEQAU2S – the SWIFT/BIC code of Merrill Lynch Equities (Australia) LTD

The 8-character code MLEQAU2S and the full code MLEQAU2SXXX identify one and the same institution: Merrill Lynch Equities (Australia) LTD. The code has a single purpose: it makes sure that a cross-border transfer ends up at the right bank. In practice you mostly come across the code on invoices from abroad, in payment forms and on the account details of Merrill Lynch Equities (Australia) LTD customers.

On this page we explain how the code is put together, when it matters and which other details you need for a transfer to or from Merrill Lynch Equities (Australia) LTD. The SWIFT code on its own does not identify a personal account; for that you need the account number or IBAN is for.

A note on our data

This directory is compiled from public sources and is updated regularly. Still, banks merge or retire codes, so information can be out of date. Counts and locations are from our directory and may differ from what Merrill Lynch Equities (Australia) LTD publishes.

Before a payment of any size, confirm the BIC with the recipient’s bank or the recipient. GoldexPay is not affiliated with Merrill Lynch Equities (Australia) LTD, we only compare transfer services. Found an error? Let us know through the contact page so we can correct it.

Is MLEQAU2S still correct? How to check

The most reliable source for the BIC is the bank details provided by the recipient: an invoice, a bank statement or their online banking. Check that code with MLEQAU2S on this page.

Mistakes in the BIC tend to be annoying more than disastrous – usually the money comes back, minus fees and time lost. A mistake in the account number is more serious.

A format check by your bank only tells you that the code is valid – not that it belongs to the person you mean to pay. Where available, a payee name check on the recipient gives an extra layer of safety. A small test payment is a sensible step for large sums.

Sending AUD to Merrill Lynch Equities (Australia) LTD

Australia uses the Australian Dollar, with the currency code AUD. When you pay money in a different currency has to be converted at some point – by your bank, by Merrill Lynch Equities (Australia) LTD or by a bank in between. You rarely see a separate line for that conversion – the cost sits in the rate.

Who does the conversion affects how much arrives, since every bank sets its own rate. In many cases you pay less to send AUD straight away via a transfer service with a good rate, so that the receiving bank does not need to convert again.

Exchange rates change during the day – some services let you fix a rate in advance. If you pay regularly, a slightly better rate make a real difference over time.

Paying someone abroad from your Merrill Lynch Equities (Australia) LTD account

If you send money abroad from Merrill Lynch Equities (Australia) LTD, the visible fee is rarely all of what you pay. There is the transfer fee, possibly fees charged by intermediary banks in between and, above all, the exchange rate markup when the money is converted.

Banks do not list their exchange rate markup separately – you only notice it if you compare. An easy check: set the rate you get against the mid-market rate for the same moment and look at the difference.

Money transfer services often offer a rate near the mid-market rate with clearer fees. GoldexPay lists transfer providers next to each other, showing the amount the recipient gets before you commit. You can still keep your account at Merrill Lynch Equities (Australia) LTD as the source of the money; only the conversion and sending happen elsewhere.

Choosing between the 6 SWIFT codes of Merrill Lynch Equities (Australia) LTD

Having 6 codes, Merrill Lynch Equities (Australia) LTD is one of the banks that register individual codes for branches. The main code is MLEQAU2SXXX.

If nobody asks you for a branch code, go with MLEQAU2SXXX. Only use a branch code when your contact gives you that exact code.

The safest route is to copy the code straight from the account holder’s invoice. Branch codes are more prone to be retired than the head office code when a bank merges or closes offices.

Getting paid from abroad into a Merrill Lynch Equities (Australia) LTD account

To receive an international payment into your account at Merrill Lynch Equities (Australia) LTD, the sender needs more than the SWIFT code. What they need is: the account holder’s name, account number or IBAN, MLEQAU2SXXX or MLEQAU2S and, for some countries, your postal address.

Certain banks want the bank’s address in Sydney; it does no harm to include it. Check every detail before you share them – a sender rarely spots a mistake in someone else’s details.

The amount you receive can be lower than the amount sent. Fees for incoming transfers vary per bank. For business payments, it is common to state who bears the costs.

Protect yourself against fake payment requests

One of the most common tricks works like this: an email arrives with a request saying that a supplier now has a new bank account and that the next payment should go there. A real SWIFT code says nothing about who owns the account – scammers simply use real codes.

Check changed bank details via a separate channel, such as a phone number you already know, never via the email that asked for the change. Be suspicious of time pressure, unusual wording or an email address that differs by one letter. If money was sent to a fraudster, contact your bank immediately – speed improves the chance of getting it back.

People receiving money are targeted too: a classic trick is an overpayment followed by a request to refund the difference abroad. A screenshot of a transfer is no proof – check your own account.

How long does an international transfer to Merrill Lynch Equities (Australia) LTD take?

An international transfer usually needs one to a few business days, depending on the currency, the route and the banks involved. Payments made late in the day or just before a weekend or public holiday usually go out the next business day. Sometimes a bank asks what the payment is for, which can hold things up.

If a transfer is late, ask the sending bank about the tracking status; with that reference banks can see where the payment is. Specialist transfer services usually show a status in their app showing where the money has got.

If a payment has not arrived after a few business days, the sender should start with their own bank rather than Merrill Lynch Equities (Australia) LTD. Request from the sender a copy of the payment confirmation with the date and reference.

Why Merrill Lynch Equities (Australia) LTD has an 8- and an 11-character code

A SWIFT code is built from a few fixed parts: the first four letters identify the bank, the next two show the country and characters seven and eight indicate the location. That gives you MLEQAU2S for Merrill Lynch Equities (Australia) LTD.

XXX at the end of MLEQAU2SXXX is not a placeholder or an error: it stands for the main office of Merrill Lynch Equities (Australia) LTD. Certain payment forms ask for 11 characters, and then you can enter XXX after MLEQAU2S.

In practice the code is typed in capitals. Look out for O versus 0 or I versus 1.